§ Mr. RichardsTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the progress regarding the negotiations for the remuneration of community pharmacists in Wales.
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§ Mr. Gwilym JonesI am very well aware of the contribution small pharmacies make to the local community. The current system of remuneration is unsatisfactory because it is poorly targeted and gives indiscriminate support to pharmacies regardless of the wider contribution they make to the health service. We want to move to a system which, within the overall sum available, will remunerate all pharmacists fairly, is related to their performance in developing a wider health role and which provides an incentive to cost-efficiency. At the same time, there is a need to provide more comprehensive support to pharmacies which provide an essential service to their communities.
Both pharmacists and health departments are committed to the concept that there should be an allowance to relate the remuneration more closely to the development of a wider professional role. The offer includes a proposal for the payment of a professional allowance to recognise the wider health role of pharmacists. The details are for negotiation with the pharmacists' representatives.
The pay offer made this year was a first step towards a longer term structure. The proposal included a transitional payment which would have left pharmacies no worse off than in 1992–93.
Negotiations continue and the pharmacists want to see more clearly the framework for the future before settling details of the year's pay.